Invitations: The invitation, which I made on the computer, read: Our young (Child's name) is turning 8 and has shown strong particular strength in the dark side of the force and may have risen as the next Darth Vader. All is not lost as the Jedi council has been requested to defend the balance of the force. Therefore, we are asking all young Padawans and citizens to attend the battle (also known as a birthday party) between the Empire and the Rebellion. This event will be held on (Date) at the (Last Name) Planet between 3-5pm at this galactic address: (list the address). Please feel free to dress in your Jedi Robes or if the dark side is what you've chosen, you may dress accordingly to accompany Darth. May the Force be with you. I then printed the invitation on translucent paper with a picture of Darth and then with brackets attached to grayish scrapbooking paper. The return address on the envelopes read from Queen Amidala.

Decorations: I went all out on decorating for the party but didn't spend much money. I got a lot of great ideas off of this website and then came up with some of my own. On the front door there was a computer made sign that read Welcome to the Spencer Planet, with a picture of a planet on it. As you entered the house there were many Star Wars pictures all over the place. I had found an on sale SW calender and cut the pictures out and then placed them over family picture frames. We had SW music playing in the background. I was dressed up as Queen Amidala, my husband- Emperor Palpatine, the birthday boy of course was Darth Vader, and my 6mo old daughter was Princess Leia. Upon walking in the front door there were signs that led you to the Galaxy Room." This was everyone's favorite part of the party!

This room took a while but was fairly inexpensive to create. I took cheap black trash bags (2 boxes)and cut 2 sides of them and then covered the cieling and walls. We also had bags hanging from the entrance of the doorway so that when you entered you had to go through the "black curtains" to be in the Galaxy room. Then from the ceiling we hung hand painted styrofoam balls to look like actual SW planets. We found pictures and information on the planets from Wikpedia.com. So me and my stepson enjoyed painting those and naming them. Then I found mini star wars ships online and hung those from the ceiling as well root beer in a skeleton pitcher and simple finger foods for everyone. There were black paper plates with Darth Vader napkins.

Before everyone arrived my husband had taken my stepson in the back bedroom so I could announce Darth once everyone arrived. So once everyone finally arrived (we started later than planned) I had found the perfect song to make a speech to and have Darth enter as well. I made a small speech to everyone saying: On behalf of myself-Queen Amidala and Emperor Palpatine we would like to thank everyone for taking the long journey to arrive at the Spencer planet. This is a friendly planet and all though 2 sides of the force are brought here today there will be only peace until brought forth in battle. I went on to say how we had many activities planned for our young padawans and how we hoped everyone would enjoy the Battle between the Empire and the Rebellion. And then with great pleasure I introduced Emperor Palpatine's newly risen apprentice- Darth Vader. And down the hall my husband walked out with Darth. Everyone began clapping and the party started off very well. After everyone had a chance to eat and talk shortly we began the games.

Games: For the first game I split everyone into 2 teams (The Empire and the Rebellion). This game was called Droid Debri which took place in our Galaxy room. We had several items wrapped in tinfoil and had hidden them around the room. Emperor Palpatine served as the judge. (I got this idea off of this site) Each team was timed on how quickly they found all of the items. The first team went in then the second. Unfortunately for Darth The Rebellion won! They all got to keep the items they had found which were fruit roll ups chocolate candies and rasins.

For the second game we had placed a picture I had downloaded off line into a balloon downstairs. We made the annoucement that a battle droid had landed on our planet and was out to destroy everyone and was not friendly even to Darth. So everyone ran downstairs where I had many red and black balloons all over the floor. The rules were that the kids could only use their bottoms to pop the balloons and destroy the battle droid. To throw off the kids we had placed blank pieces of paper in all of the balloons along with the one that held the battle droid. They loved this and all began popping away! The youngest of the group a 2yr old won! So for his prize I gave him a blow up light saber I had also found at Party City.

The third game was basically hot potato but we called it Escape the DeathStar! So everyone sat in a circle and began passing the DeathStar (A planet I had covered in Aluminum Foil and had been hanging in the Galazy Room). Of course as the SW music would stop playing the person holding the Death Star was out. The winner won a star wars coloring book with stickers.

After the games we had cake which I was going to make but ran out of time so had our Walmart make one with a Star Wars theme. And then my stepson began opening his presents and while he did this I passed out Star Wars goodie bags to everyone that contained SW stickers balls yoda rings slinky and some other little star wars goodies. Last but not least we had Darth Vader's head as a pinata to tear into. It was too cold outside so my husband stood in the middle of the room and ripped it opened as we watched the kids scramble in the floor trying to fill their bags. As everyone was leaving they all told me that was the coolest party ever!

They all couldn't wait until next year to see what we had planned for my stepson's birthday party. And as for my stepson well he said it was the best party he'd ever had! He said he would remember it for ALWAYS! A couple of days after the party I took a picture that had been taken at the party with me my husband my stepson and my daughter all in costume and sent it out as a thank you card to everyone. "